The present invention relates to an exchange accommodating a communication line of a public network or a private exchange network, and to a telephone system exchange for interconnecting an exchange and a computer to perform telephone exchange.
In a conventional exchange accommodating a communication line of a public network or a private exchange network, operational instructions or responses are delivered to the communication line by fixed processing according to control signals sent from the communication line. Specifically, in the exchange, exchange process programs for realizing processes corresponding to control signals are fixedly stored in a built-in storage medium such as a ROM or a hard disk. By executing the exchange process programs, service determination/instruction functions (execution of service processes) associated with the control signals are achieved.
Once the exchange has been delivered to the user, processing in the exchange cannot easily be modified to meet requests on the user side.
As has been described above, since the exchange process programs are fixedly incorporated in the conventional exchange at the time of delivery, the requests on the user side cannot easily be met.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and the object of the invention is to provide an exchange and a telephone exchange system capable of providing services by external functions which can be modified on the user side.
In order to achieve the object, according to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an exchange apparatus for providing a service relating to telephone exchange in accordance with a control signal received from a communication line, the exchange apparatus comprising: control signal receiving means for receiving the control signal from the communication line; process location determination means for determining whether a process associated with the control signal received by the control signal receiving means is to be executed within the exchange apparatus or in a processing apparatus external to the exchange apparatus; control signal notice means for notifying the processing apparatus external to the exchange apparatus of a content of the received control signal, when the process location determination means has determined that the process is to be executed in the external processing apparatus; and service providing means for providing a service, on the basis of a result of the process executed by the external processing apparatus in accordance with the content of the control signal, of which the external processing apparatus was notified by the control signal notice means.
The exchange apparatus according to the invention may further comprise data storage means for storing various data to be used when the process associated with the received control signal is executed.
The exchange apparatus according to the invention may further comprises data interface means for outputting the data stored in the data storage means to the processing apparatus external to the exchange apparatus, in accordance with a request arising from the process, of which the external processing apparatus was notified by the control signal notice means and which was executed by the external processing apparatus in accordance with the content of the control signal.
If the data interface means is provided, the external processing apparatus can process the control signal by using the data in the telephone exchange.
It is preferable that the service providing means include instruction transmission means for transmitting an instruction to the communication line or another communication line.
With this structure, the operational instruction can be sent to the communication line, through which the control signal was sent, or another communication line, on the basis of the process executed by the exchange apparatus or the external processing apparatus in response to the control signal from the communication line.
The exchange apparatus according to the invention may further comprise process location storage means for storing information as to whether the process associated with the received control signal is to be executed within the exchange apparatus or in the external processing apparatus, wherein the process location determination means effects the determination on the basis of the information stored in the process location storage means.
The exchange apparatus according to the invention should preferably further comprise process location rewrite means for rewriting the information stored in the process location storage means.
If the data interface means is provided, the external processing apparatus can process the control signal by using the data in the telephone exchange.
The process location storage means may include service-related process location storage means for storing data on a location of execution of the process associated with the control signal in accordance with a type of service, and the process location determination means may include service type determination means for determining the service type corresponding to the received control signal and acquires data on the location of execution from the service-related process location storage means on the basis of the service type corresponding to the received control signal.
With this structure, the process location can be altered according to the service type. For example, when higher-level processes or higher-speed processes are to be executed, they can be executed by the external processing apparatus.
The process location storage means may include arrival-time-related process location storage means for storing data on a location of execution of the process associated with the control signal in accordance with a time zone, and the process location determination means may include control-signal arrival time determination means for determining an arrival time of the received control signal and acquires data on the location of execution from the arrival-time-related process location storage means on the basis of the arrival time of the received control signal.
With this structure the process location can be altered according to the time zone. For example, in a time zone in which exchange functions of the exchange apparatus are frequently performed, the control signal may be processed by the external processing apparatus, thus keeping smooth exchange functions.
The exchange apparatus according to the invention may further comprise internal signal frame preparation means for preparing an internal signal frame on the basis of the control signal sent from the communication line, wherein the internal signal frame includes a flag indicative of a location of execution of the process associated with the control signal and information indicative of the content of the control signal, and the process location determination means determines the location of execution of the process associated with the control signal on the basis of the flag.
The internal signal frame preparation means may set the flag indicating that the process associated with the control signal is to be executed in the processing apparatus external to the exchange apparatus, when the control signal, in which a specific number indicating the execution of the process in the external processing apparatus is designated, has been input.
With this structure, if the user dials the specific number, the external processing apparatus is caused to perform the process corresponding to the control signal.
The internal signal frame preparation means may set the flag indicating that the process associated with the control signal is to be executed in the processing apparatus external to the exchange apparatus, when a port connected to the communication line through which the control signal has been sent is a special one.
With this structure, the control signal received through the special port can always be processed by the external processing apparatus.
The internal signal frame preparation means may set the flag indicating that the process associated with the control signal is to be executed in the processing apparatus external to the exchange apparatus, when the communication line through which the control signal has been sent belongs to a specific group.
With this structure, the control signal from the telephone belonging to the specific group can always be processed by the external processing apparatus.
The exchange apparatus according to the invention should preferably further comprise process location storage means for storing information as to whether the process associated with the received control signal is to be executed within the exchange apparatus or in the external processing apparatus, and internal signal frame preparation means for preparing an internal signal frame on the basis of the control signal sent from the communication line, wherein the internal signal frame includes a flag indicative of a location of execution of the process associated with the control signal and information indicative of the content of the control signal, and the process location determination means effects the determination on the basis of the information stored in the process location storage means and the flag.
With this structure, the process location can be determined on the basis of the information stored in the process location storage means and the flag.
It is preferable that the process location determination means determines the location of execution of the process on the basis of determination based on the information stored in the process location storage means, determination based on the flag, and a predetermined order of priority of determination.
With this structure, the process location can be determined even if the determination based on the information stored i n the process location storage means differs from the determination based on the flag.
The predetermined order of priority of determination may be defined to give a priority to the determination based on the information stored in the process location storage means, or to the determination based on the flag, or to the execution of the process by the external processing apparatus.
It is preferable that the instruction transmission means transmits an instruction to the communication line or another communication line, with use of the same instruction as in the case where the process is executed within the exchange apparatus, on the basis of a result of the process executed by the processing apparatus external to the exchange apparatus.
Even where the process is executed by the external processing apparatus, if the instruction is sent to the communication line or another communication line with use of the same instruction as in the case where the process is internally executed, the process is executed as if it were executed within the exchange apparatus. Thereby, the control signal can be processed by the external processing apparatus, without making no modification to the telephone, etc. connected to the communication line, and the process result can be returned to the communication line.
It is preferable that the exchange apparatus further comprise second service providing means for providing a service on the basis of a result of the process executed in accordance with the content of the control signal, where the process location determination means has determined that the process is to be executed within the exchange apparatus.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a telephone exchange system comprising a telephone exchange apparatus for performing an operation relating to telephone exchange in accordance with a control signal received from a communication line, and an external processing apparatus for performing a process associated with the control signal from the communication line, of which the telephone exchange apparatus notifies the external processing apparatus, the telephone exchange apparatus comprising: control signal receiving means for receiving the control signal from the communication line; process location determination means for determining whether the process associated with the control signal received by the control signal receiving means is to be executed in the external processing apparatus; control signal notice means for notifying the external processing apparatus of a content of the received control signal, when the process location determination means has determined that the process is to be executed in the external processing apparatus; and means for performing the operation relating to the telephone exchange, on the basis of a result of the process executed by the external processing apparatus in accordance with the content of the control signal, of which the external processing apparatus was notified by the control signal notice means, and the external processing apparatus comprising: external service process means for performing the process based on the content of the control signal, of which the external service process means has been notified by the control signal notice means.
It is preferable that the telephone exchange system further comprise data storage means for storing various data to be used when the process associated with the received control signal is executed.
It is preferable that the external service process means include data request means for requesting necessary data for the process based on the content of the control signal from the telephone exchange apparatus, and that the telephone exchange apparatus further comprise data interface means for outputting to the data request means the data stored in the data storage means in response to a request by the data request means.
If the data interface means is provided, the external processing apparatus can process the control signal by using the data in the telephone exchange.
The telephone exchange apparatus may further include process location storage means for storing information as to whether the process associated with the received control signal is to be executed within the telephone exchange apparatus or in the external processing apparatus, and process location rewrite means for rewriting the information stored in the process location storage means, and the external service process means may include process location rewrite instruct means for instructing the process location rewrite means to rewrite data on the process location.
If the process location rewrite means is provided, the process location can be rewritten, depending on the situation, and more flexible services can be provided.
According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a telephone exchange system comprising a telephone exchange apparatus for performing an operation relating to telephone exchange in accordance with a control signal received from a communication line, and an external processing apparatus for performing a process associated with the control signal, the system comprising: control signal receiving means for receiving the control signal from the communication line; process location determination means for determining whether the process associated with the control signal received by the control signal receiving means is to be executed within the exchange apparatus or in the external processing apparatus; process execution means, provided in the external processing apparatus, for executing the process in accordance with the control signal, when the process location determination means has determined that the process is to be executed by the external processing apparatus; and operation means, provided in the exchange apparatus, for performing the operation relating to the telephone exchange on the basis of a result of the process executed by the process execution means.
According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a telephone exchange system comprising a telephone exchange apparatus for performing an operation relating to telephone exchange in accordance with a control signal received from a communication line, and an external processing apparatus for performing a process associated with the control signal, the system comprising: control signal receiving means for receiving the control signal from the communication line; process location determination means for determining whether the process associated with the control signal received by the control signal receiving means is to be executed within the exchange apparatus or in the external processing apparatus; process execution means, provided in the exchange apparatus, for executing the process in accordance with the control signal, when the process location determination means has determined that the process is to be executed within the exchange apparatus; and operation means, provided in the exchange apparatus, for performing the operation relating to the telephone exchange on the basis of a result of the process executed by the process execution means.
According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a telephone exchange system comprising a telephone exchange apparatus for performing an operation relating to telephone exchange in accordance with a control signal received from a communication line, and an external processing apparatus for performing a process associated with the control signal, the system comprising: control signal receiving means for receiving the control signal from the communication line; determination means for determining whether the process associated with the control signal received by the control signal receiving means is to be executed in the external processing apparatus; process execution means, provided in the external processing apparatus, for executing the process in accordance with the control signal, when the determination means has determined that the process is to be executed by the external processing apparatus; and operation means, provided in the exchange apparatus, for performing the operation relating to the telephone exchange on the basis of a result of the process executed by the process execution means.
According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided an exchange apparatus for use in a telephone exchange system comprising an exchange apparatus for performing an operation relating to telephone exchange in accordance with a control signal received from a communication line, and an external processing apparatus including process execution means for performing a process associated with the control signal, the exchange apparatus comprising: control signal receiving means for receiving the control signal from the communication line; process location determination means for determining whether the process associated with the control signal received by the control signal receiving means is to be executed within the exchange apparatus or in the external processing apparatus; and operation means for performing the operation relating to the telephone exchange on the basis of a result of the process executed by the process execution means.
According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided an exchange apparatus for use in a telephone exchange system comprising an exchange apparatus for performing an operation relating to telephone exchange in accordance with a control signal received from a communication line, and an external processing apparatus for performing a process associated with the control signal, the exchange apparatus comprising: control signal receiving means for receiving the control signal from the communication line; process location determination means for determining whether the process associated with the control signal received by the control signal receiving means is to be executed within the exchange apparatus or in the external processing apparatus; process execution means for executing the process in accordance with the control signal, when the process location determination means has determined that the process is to be executed within the exchange apparatus; and operation means for performing the operation relating to the telephone exchange on the basis of a result of the process executed by the process execution means.
According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided an exchange apparatus for use in a telephone exchange system comprising an exchange apparatus for performing an operation relating to telephone exchange in accordance with a control signal received from a communication line, and an external processing apparatus including process execution means for performing a process associated with the control signal, the exchange apparatus comprising: control signal receiving means for receiving the control signal from the communication line; process location determination means for determining whether the process associated with the control signal received by the control signal receiving means is to be executed in the external processing apparatus; and operation means for performing the operation relating to the telephone exchange on the basis of a result of the process executed by the process execution means.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.